


Mansplain

by Elektra Pendragon (elekdragon)



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: F/M, Mansplainer, Trans Character, bad psychology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-22
Updated: 2013-04-22
Packaged: 2017-12-09 03:56:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/769688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elekdragon/pseuds/Elektra%20Pendragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How to deal with a mansplainer, as illustrated by Dr. Alana Bloom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mansplain

**Author's Note:**

> from Hannibal kinkmeme community http://hannibalkink.dreamwidth.org/1375.html?thread=424287#cmt424287 Sorta prompt on MTF!Alana, and I instantly though of Dr. Barres's classic example of gender bias he's experienced. Sadly, no sex here, but you know she fucked Will's brains out later.

"Doctor Bloom?"

A older man weaved his way in front of Will, not even bothering with a flash of apology. He had his hand out, close to his body, angled down in a way that would force Alana to reach into his personal space to shake his hand. 

"Doctor Bloom? I'm Doctor Chadly--you can call me Phil. I love your work on empathy in personality disorders."

Alana tilted her head, boldly meeting his eyes as she nodded in acknowledgement, while strategically keeping away from his angled hand. She tipped the wine glass in her right hand, smiling behind the rim. "Thank you. Doctor Chadly, right? Pleasure to meet you." Her eyes roamed away from his face in a deliberate dismissal. "Will, you were saying..."

Before Will could come up with some sort of saving conversation, Dr. Chadly tried again for her attention. "I find your work very fascinating, far better than your brother's."

"My brother?" she commented lightly, her lip curving down in displeasure. 

"Don't get me wrong, he's brilliant, but he hasn't written anything in years. Besides, the female of the species is far more superior than the male in understanding empathy. I find women to have a natural instinct for dealing with emotions. My own research on women seems to hold this out, and you would agree..."

Dr. Chadly chattered on, his eyes not even meeting Alana's face--not from discomfort, but from his pleasure in his oration. He gestured broadly, leaning into her space as she drew herself tall, spine stiffening and skin flushing with anger. Dr. Chadly had no idea the effect of his words. When his smile grew wider and his eyes trailed down the neckline of her shirt, Alana finally lost her cool. 

Her face grew calm. She smiled politely, like she had before, but the glint in her eye was dangerous. She nodded a few times, as if she were listening, but the movement failed to draw his attention away from her breasts or his monologue. She switched the wine glass to her other hand, and folded her fingers under her chin.

Will quickly stepped back several feet. 

"...After all, autism is simple the male mind taken to the extreme--"

With a casual flip of her wrist, Alana poured the cool wine down the front of the man's pants. His words cut off in a squeak, as he tore his gaze from her breasts to look down at his pants. 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Alana said with sweet venom. She moved forward, finally coming into his personal space, and dug the sharp toe of her shoe into the top of Dr. Chadly's foot. She skipped back, acting as though the move was an accident. "Dear me. The wine must have gone to my head." The man looked pained as she skirted around him, walking towards Will. "It's all right. I can feel your pain."

Will moved quickly to catch up as Alana, as she stalked past him. They walked quietly to the coat check, before she finally slowed down. "Ugh! The man doesn't even know the proper definition of empathy. I doubt he's even read my book. And if he stared any harder, my blouse would have caught on fire. Every time! How do they find me?"

"Maybe it's your perfume."

She lowered her voice, mocking the man's ingratiating tone. "'So much better than your brother's...' I'd like to read his BA thesis, and see how far he's come in 40 years since he graduated. He obviously hasn't evolved his thinking beyond the 70s. Of course my work is better now! I haven't written as Allen since I was 24!" She waved her arms dramatically at the clerk as she passed over their tickets. 

"I'm surprised he'd even read it."

"It's even worse when they try to be 'groovy feminist' on top of it," she jerked her coat out of the clerk's hands. "Like I'm going to fall for that crap. He doesn't have a feminist bone in his body."

Will tugged his coat close, trying to find his gloves. "Of course."

Alana stopped herself, taking a deep breath, then she swung her coat over her shoulders and smiled at Will. "I could use a drink." Her cheeks remained flushed, her anger turning to slight embarrassment over her reaction.

Will watched the curve of her lips, as genuine pleasure softened her features. He tilted his mouth, matching her mirth. "At least it went to a good cause." 

Alana laughed lightly, sliding her hand into Will's proffered elbow.

**Author's Note:**

>  _Shortly after I changed sex, a faculty member was heard to say "Ben Barres gave a great seminar today, but then his work is much better than his sister's."._ \--Dr. Ben A. Barres,  Nature, vol 442, 13 July 2006.


End file.
